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20 Fabulous Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2023

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20 Fabulous Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2023

Usually, my review calendar is about sixty to seventy percent young adult and only thirty to forty percent middle grade, but this season, I’m split pretty close to fifty-fifty for what’s on my reading list. It’s hard to keep up with all the great books coming this season, but I’m going to do my best to try! Here are my 20 most-anticipated middle grade books coming fall 2023.

Since September is already almost over (How?!), I’ve linked a few of the books I’ve finished to my reviews below.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle grade posts called Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays. Check out other blogs posting about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle with Greg Pattridge.

20 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Coming Fall 2023

Deephaven by Ethan Aldridge

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Nev arrives at Deephaven, a boarding school with secrets, determined to keep their head down and fit in until they become embroiled in a quest to save a girl everyone thinks is dead. I’ve read everything published by this author, so I knew I was going to read this one. Looks like it’ll be a series, so I’m anxious to see where it goes.

Published: September 5, 2023 | My Review

The Bravest Warrior in Nefaria by Adi Alsaid

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Bobert and his friends must find a way to break the spell placed on them by evil wizard Matt before he takes over Nefaria. Silly, offbeat, and packed with heart. I loved this one.

Published: September 5, 2023 | My Review

Finch House by Ciera Burch

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: When Micah becomes trapped in the house her grandfather forbade her to enter, she must confront secrets from her past and make a frightening deal to escape. More eerie than truly scary, this is a great choice for a fall book.

Published: September 5, 2023 | My Review

Learning to Fall by Sally Engelfried

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: After Daphne is forced to live with her dad, she grudgingly offers him a second chance when he begins teaching her skateboarding tricks. Will he let her down again? I love complex family stories like this one, and I’m super excited for a book about skateboarding.

Published: September 5, 2023

Beneath the Swirling Sky by Carolyn Leiloglou

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Paintings, secrets, and a missing sister send a boy and his cousin on a quest into a painting. Marketed as perfect for fans of the Wingfeather Saga, which includes me!

Published: September 12, 2023 | My Review

Between Monsters and Marvels by Alysa Wishingrad

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Dare refuses to accept the story she’s told about her father’s death and sets out to prove monsters still exist. A fabulous story about friendship and how to build trust from the author of THE VERDIGRIS PAWN.

Published: September 12, 2023 | My Review

The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: River must face their deepest fears when a monster from the Otherwoods kidnaps their only friend. This one definitely gives off Halloween vibes.

Published: September 12, 2023 | My Review

Tethered to Other Stars by Elisa Stone Leahy

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl who dreams of winning the science fair is faced with a terrible choice when someone she loves is detained by ICE. I love the way the book description links science and Wendy’s fears about her family. Looks like a book that will make you think.

Published: October 3, 2023

White House Clubhouse by Sean O’Brien

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two girls whose mother has just been elected President join a secret society of presidential children where they must help the Roosevelt children in order to return to their own time. Written by a former White House staffer. I’m super curious about this one.

Published: October 3, 2023

The Race for the Ruby Turtle by Stephen Bramucci

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: When Jake is sent to his great-aunt’s cabin in remote Oregon woods, he stumbles upon a threat against a turtle with a ruby-colored shell. Features a boy with ADHD and a focus on nature and conservation.

Published: October 3, 2023

The Deadlands: Trapped (The Deadlands #2) by Skye Melki-Wegner

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Five outcasts from their herds team up to find evidence of an alliance between carrion dinosaurs and save their herds from war. I loved the first book in this series, which I’d describe as LAND BEFORE TIME meets WARRIORS.

Published: October 3, 2023

Like a Charm by Elle McNicoll

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A neurodivergent teen who can see things no one else can must stop a magical threat to her world. This reminds me a little bit of STONE HEART by Charlie Fletcher, which I loved.

Published: October 10, 2023

Secret of the Reaping (Vanquishers #2) by Kalynn Bayron

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Now that vampires are back, Boog and her friends want to help fight them in this sequel to the series opener I loved last year.

Published: October 10, 2023

Just a Pinch of Magic by Alechia Dow

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl desperate to save her family’s struggling magical bakery casts a (slightly illegal) spell that backfires. Looks like lots of delicious descriptions of baking and magical hijinks from an author on my auto-read list.

Published: October 10, 2023

Hollowthorn: A Ravenfall Novel by Kalyn Josephson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: As Hannukah approaches, best friends with magic must stop a demon from Jewish lore who is hunting the Tree of Life. RAVENFALL was one of my favorite books from last year, so this one is a must-read for me.

Published: October 17, 2023

Secrets We Tell the Sea by Martha Riva Palacio Obón, translated by Lourdes Heuer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl with a powerful connection to the sea moves in with her Abuela and meets a new friend she believes will truly understand her. The book description has a lot of imagery about the sea and ocean life and says Sofia is a mermaid. I can’t tell if that’s literal or metaphorical. In any case, I’m super intrigued.

Published: October 24, 2023

Song of the Swan by Karah Sutton

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I can’t say it better than the cover copy: “A magical retelling of Swan Lake, featuring a clever orphan, a castle filled with enchanted swans, and a quest to unearth the secrets of the past.” Yes, please!

Published: October 24, 2023

Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: An explosion destroys a friendship and leaves a girl injured. Her former best friend won’t stop until he uncovers what truly happened. Looks like a powerful story about friendship and healing.

Published: October 31, 2023

Sail Me Away Home (Show Me a Sign #3) by Ann Clare LeZotte

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Set in the world of SHOW ME A SIGN and SET ME FREE. Explores the origins of formal Deaf education and complex issues on Martha’s Vineyard between Deaf and Wampanoag communities. I loved SET ME FREE, and I can’t wait for this one.

Published: November 7, 2023

Keeper of the Lost Cities: The Graphic Novel Part 1 by Shannon Messenger

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: The first half of the epic novel adapted into a graphic novel. This looks like it will be really cool.

Published: November 7, 2023

What are your most-anticipated middle grade books coming out this fall?

What amazing middle grade books coming fall 2023 are you most looking forward to reading? Are you planning to read, or have you already read any of the books on my list? What books am I missing that I need to add?

Review: Wishes Are Free by Diana Mercedes Howell

Book Review and Content, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

Wishes Are Free
Diana Mercedes Howell
Published September 15, 2022

Amazon | Goodreads

About Wishes Are Free

Friends are everywhere if you have a big heart and know where to look.

California, 1959. Spunky ten-year-old Rose O’Reilly feels abandoned when her best friend from birth moves two thousand miles away. Determined to find a new best friend, she turns to Grandpa, whose wife – his own best friend – has recently died. They hold chat cafes in the kitchen on Sundays and with Grandpa’s help, Rose discovers friends can be found in unexpected places, from a lost dog to a boy with cerebral palsy.

But there is still an achy hole in her heart. She asks Venus, the Evening Star, for a new best friend, for Grandpa to come to live with them, and for a dog of her own. She has nothing to lose because wishes are free.

My Review

Rose is a precocious ten-year-old navigating a new school year without her best friend. Adrift and unsure, she looks to her grandfather for advice and a listening ear. I liked that the story doesn’t revolve around her grandfather’s advice. He doesn’t solve any problems for her; he really just offers her more ideas to think about or a new way to look at something. It’s up to Rose what she does with his counsel.

I also enjoyed the relationship between Rose and her brother, Jeremy. They bicker but share some tender moments, too. Rose also explores a new friendship with Anthony, a boy with Cerebral Palsy who owns a dog she likes. I wish Anthony had been included in scenes other than those in his house. Restricting Rose’s time with him to his own house made it seem like he was shut in or unwelcome in
other parts of her life.

In a couple of scenes, Rose confronts a neighborhood bully, and some of the language used to describe him is a little bit off-putting. He seems to be the only plus-sized character in the book and is always shown eating something as well as being mean to her. It came off as a negative stereotype to me, though
it was probably unconsciously done.

In one part, Rose gets in trouble at school, and her dad feels really disappointed. Her grandfather points out that her dad may feel the pressure of old stereotypes as an Irish man. Not long ago, the Irish faced discrimination and negative stereotypes. That understanding carries forward in the way Rose’s family empathizes with other immigrant workers in their community and values and appreciates them.

On the whole, I thought this was a sweet historical novel about friendship, family, and childhood discovery.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Rose’s friend has Cerebral Palsy.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Rose catches a boy and girl kissing in a movie theater.

Spiritual Content
Rose begins making wishes on Venus, the Evening Star. Rose attends a Catholic school. A boy makes a joke that if frogs got married, they couldn’t get divorced if they were Catholic.

Violent Content
Rose worries about a classmate whose father is rumored to have beaten him and his family.

Drug Content
Adults drink beer at a party.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of WISHES ARE FREE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake

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Champion of Fate (Heromaker #1)
Kendare Blake
Quill Tree Books
Published September 19, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Champion of Fate

Behind every great hero is an Aristene.

Aristene are mythical female warriors, part of a legendary order. Though heroes might be immortalized in stories, it’s the Aristene who guide them to victory. They are the Heromakers.

Ever since she was an orphan taken in by the order, Reed has wanted to be an Aristene. Now, as an initiate, just one challenge stands in her way: she must shepherd her first hero to glory on the battlefield. Succeed, and Reed will take her place beside her sisters. Fail, and she’ll be cast from the only home she’s ever known.

Nothing is going to stop Reed–until she meets her hero. Hestion is fiery and infuriating, but what begins as an alliance becomes more, and as secrets of the order come to light Reed begins to understand what becoming an Aristene may truly cost. Battle looming, she must choose: the order and the life she had planned, or Hestion, and the one she never expected.

My Review

I haven’t read anything by Kendare Blake in a really long time, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I loved the concept. It hints at star-crossed lovers and magic and secrets, all things I love in a book.

And, boy, did it deliver those things. I loved the pacing of the romance between Reed and Hestion. I constantly wanted more for them, but loved every minute of their scenes together. The minor characters are amazing, from Reed’s often-absent mentor to her mentor’s lover and former Aristene to Reed’s fellow initiate. I liked that the order was made up of so many different kinds of women and that made for lots of different kinds of relationships between them. That was pretty cool.

The stakes heightened pretty quickly in the second half of the book especially. I felt like I flew through that last quarter with my breath held, wondering how things were going to turn out.

At the end of it all, I find the only thing I’m disappointed about is having to wait until the next book is released to know what happens next!

I think readers who enjoy epic hero stories– maybe things in the vein of Greek myth retellings or stories about paladins or spiritual warriors– will really enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Reed has tanned skin. Other characters are described as having darker skin. Two women are in a romantic relationship.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two girls. References to sex.

Spiritual Content
Reed and the other members of the Aristenes serve the goddess of glory. Other nations serve other gods. A prophet of all gods was recently murdered. One scene shows a man praying at the temple of the prophet. Reed participates in several rituals as part of her initiation into the Aristenes. One involves drinking blood to receive magic. Another involves drinking water from a well that reveals her path.

Violent Content
Lots of battle scenes and descriptions of battle. A man holds onto the decomposing head of a corpse, using it as a weapon.

Drug Content
Several scenes show celebratory drinking. A few characters get drunk and say or do things they regret later.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of CHAMPION OF FATE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie

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The Forest Grimm
Kathryn Purdie
Wednesday Books
Published September 19, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Forest Grimm

Where fairy tales come to life with dark, deadly twists…

“Tell me again, Grandmère, the story of how I die.”

The Midnight Forest. The Fanged Creature. Two fortune-telling cards that spell an untimely death for 17-year-old Clara. Despite the ever-present warning from her fortune-teller grandmother, Clara embarks on a dangerous journey into the deadly Forest Grimm to procure a magical book – Sortes Fortunae, the Book of Fortunes – with the power to reverse the curse on her village and save her mother.

Years ago, when the villagers whispered their deepest desires to the book, its pages revealed how to obtain them. All was well until someone used the book for an evil purpose―to kill another person. Afterward, the branches of the Forest Grimm snatched the book away, the well water in Grimm’s Hollow turned rancid, and the crops died from disease. The villagers tried to make amends with the forest, but every time someone crossed its border, they never returned.

Now, left with no alternative, Clara and her close friend, Axel―who is fated never to be with her―have set their minds to defying fate and daring to accomplish what no one else has been able to before. But the forest―alive with dark, deadly twists on some of our most well-known fairy tales―has a mind of its own.

My Review

One of the things that most intrigued me about this story was the idea of a magical forest filled with twisted versions of well-known fairy tales. I was just talking with someone the other day about how many of the versions we’re most familiar with are very different from the darker original versions. I liked the idea of including references to those darker stories in a new tale.

And that’s one of the elements I enjoyed most about reading this book. I really liked the forest, too. It felt old and dark and filled with deadly magic. The story centers around Clara and her developing relationship with Axel, a plotline that I also followed with interest. I think I would have enjoyed a little bit more focus on Henni’s relationship with Clara. The way the story ends left me hopeful that Henni would be a critical character in a follow-up tale. All I can say to that is, yes, please!

On the whole, I think readers who enjoy reimagined fairy tales or books like THE GREYMIST FAIR by Francesca Zappia will definitely want to give this one a read.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Clara describes a back problem as having an S-curve that makes her hips uneven. She wears a special insert in her shoe to help her walk more comfortably.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Clara’s Grandmère uses cards to predict someone’s future. A curse descends on Clara’s town, changing the forest into a dangerous place, isolating the village, and drawing certain villagers into it. In the forest, Clara encounters magic in the form of dark fairytales. She sees a ghost and monsters.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some battle situations between Clara and her allies and residents of the forest.

Drug Content
Hallucinogenic mushrooms cause Clara and her friends to see strange things. (They were tricked into eating them.)

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE FOREST GRIMM in exchange for my honest review.

Review: House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin Craig

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

House of Salt and Sorrows (Sisters of the Salt #1)
Erin Craig
Delacorte Press
Published August 6, 2019

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About House of Salt and Sorrows

In a manor by the sea, twelve sisters are cursed.

Annaleigh lives a sheltered life at Highmoor, a manor by the sea, with her sisters, their father, and stepmother. Once they were twelve, but loneliness fills the grand halls now that four of the girls’ lives have been cut short. Each death was more tragic than the last—the plague, a plummeting fall, a drowning, a slippery plunge—and there are whispers throughout the surrounding villages that the family is cursed by the gods.

Disturbed by a series of ghostly visions, Annaleigh becomes increasingly suspicious that the deaths were no accidents. Her sisters have been sneaking out every night to attend glittering balls, dancing until dawn in silk gowns and shimmering slippers, and Annaleigh isn’t sure whether to try to stop them or to join their forbidden trysts. Because who—or what—are they really dancing with?

When Annaleigh’s involvement with a mysterious stranger who has secrets of his own intensifies, it’s a race to unravel the darkness that has fallen over her family—before it claims her next.

My Review

I’ve had this book for years. I think I ordered a copy the year it was published, but I only just got around to reading it now that there’s a sequel. Truthfully, I’m glad I waited so long to read it because I would not have been prepared for how creepy/horror-adjacent it is. I think I expected more of a Marissa Meyer fairy tale retelling vibe, and it definitely read as darker than that.

The setting really pulled me in. Annaleigh’s family celebrates holidays and burial traditions anchored to her culture and their worship of Pontus, the god of the sea. The sea itself, the lighthouse, and Annaleigh’s family home all felt very real.

I also liked the mystery element of the story. Annaleigh worries that someone has murdered her sister and chases down every lead she can find searching for the culprit. The sisterly love and the unexpected discoveries that the mystery led her to definitely kept me engaged in the story. I also enjoyed the romance between her and Cassius.

The pacing of the story felt a little uneven to me. Like, a LOT happened in the last fifty pages of the book. Annaleigh learns a lot of new information and faces some pretty intense stuff. Those late chapters also have one of the most intense psychological horror scenes of the whole book.

I found myself wishing a little more of that information had been revealed or at least hinted at earlier on, rather than rushed through at the end. I think the way things played out also muddled some elements of the plot, such as which deaths had unnatural causes versus which didn’t.

All in all, I am glad I finally read it, and there were things about the story I enjoyed. If you enjoy dark fairy tales with a horror element to them, HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS will definitely scratch that itch.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used pretty infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Annaleigh and one of her sisters see ghosts and encounter some haunting experiences. Annaleigh and her family worship the god of the sea, Pontus. Other people from other places worship different gods or goddesses.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Tentacled arms grab a girl in the water. Sketches show girls who’ve died, including details alluding to the manner of their deaths (an obviously broken neck, for example). Several scenes include someone finding people who’ve died. One scene shows a nightmarish party with really gross food and drink served. That scene and another include situations and descriptions that would qualify as psychological horror.

Drug Content
Social drinking, such as champagne at a party. At one party, several men get drunk and say cruel or inappropriate things to women there.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Top Ten Tuesday: Amazing Young Adult Books Coming in Fall 2023

Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

I’m finally settling into a fall routine, just in time to look ahead at the incredible line-up of books coming out this season. From familiar retellings to irresistible, high-stakes fantasy to classic rom-com, it’s going to be a great fall to grab that pumpkin spice latte (or whatever your preferred fall drink is) and curl up with a great book.

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is Books on My Fall To-Read list. I couldn’t narrow my list down to ten, so… bonus! Here are 21 amazing young adult books coming in fall 2023.

21 Amazing Young Adult Books Coming in Fall 2023

Into the Bright Open (A Secret Garden Remix) by Cherie Dimaline

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: a retelling of the Secret Garden set in Canada and including indigenous characters. I loved THE MARROW THIEVES, so I’ve been very eager to read more of Dimaline’s work. I’m excited about this one.

Published: September 5, 2023

All That Shines by Ellen Hagan

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Chloe goes from having it all to living in the apartment complex her family owns and abandoned. I got swept away by the powerful emotions and verse of DON’T CALL ME A HURRICANE, so I’m always up for more Ellen Hagan books.

Published: September 5, 2023 | My Review

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A transgender boy desperate to escape an arranged marriage is diagnosed with a strange illness and sent away to a sanitorium and finishing school where ghosts beg him for his help. Looks twisty, dark, and powerful. White’s debut knocked me sideways (in the best way), so I can’t wait for this one.

Published: September 5, 2023

Rez Ball by Byron Graves

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A boy still processing his grief over a lost brother vows to take his basketball team to state so his brother’s dreams come true and his story lives on. Romance, basketball, the raw edges of grief– this debut has so much to offer.

Published: September 12, 2023

The Name Drop by Susan Lee

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two interns at a massive tech company get their roles swapped by mistake. They decide to keep the switch, so he can take a break from the high-pressure life his father wants for him, and so she can build the connections she needs for college applications. There’s still time to get one last summer romance in with your pumpkin spice.

Published: September 12, 2023

Champion of Fate by Kendare Blake

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A new fantasy series from the author of THREE DARK CROWNS. A girl raised to become one of the legendary heromakers called Aristene. A fiery, infuriating boy she’s tasked with turning into a hero. What if she can’t have both? I haven’t read anything by Blake yet, but I want to, and this looks SO good.

Published: September 19, 2023

The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl foretold to die at seventeen takes a dangerous journey into a deadly forest filled with twisted versions of well-loved fairytales to undo a curse and save her mother. Something about this reminds me of GREYMMIST FAIR by Francesca Zappia, which I loved.

Published: September 19, 2023

Foul Heart Huntsman by Chloe Gong

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: 1932 Shanghai. An exposed spy desperate to rescue her partner, whose memories of her have been wiped, embarks on a national tour as a means to gather allies and save him. I still need to read the first book in this duology, but my library has the audiobook, so I’ll be reading both this fall!

Published: September 26, 2023

This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: To save her family’s magic horse ranch, Mekira must win a treacherous horserace. Filled with Jewish folklore. Looks like maybe SIX OF CROWS meets THE SCORPIO RACES?

Published: September 26, 2023

Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Fourteen mermaid tales by familiar YA authors like Darcie Little Badger, Kalynn Bayron, and Katherine Locke. Looks like a super-inclusive collection, and I’m always up for a mermaid story!

Published: September 26, 2023

Before the Devil Knows You’re Here by Autumn Krause

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: 1836 Wisconsin Territory. An orphaned girl’s little brother is kidnapped by a mysterious bark-covered man. With help from Paul Bunyan, she tracks the Man of Sap, determined to get her brother back in this dark folk horror tale. Looks twisty and unlike anything I’ve ever read before.

Published: October 3, 2023

Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A witch who survived a brutal attack on her coven reluctantly allies with the captain of the witch hunters who claims to be working to dismantle the hunters from inside their group. Looks intense and rich with magic. I’m excited for this one.

Published: October 3, 2023

Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: 1943 Lithuania. A grieving father uses forbidden magic to create a Nazi-killing golem to avenge his daughter’s death. Vera awakens with an understanding of her purpose and memories of a girl’s human life. This one had me at the comparison: Frankenstein meets Inglourious Basterds. I’m in.

Published: October 10, 2023

Flower and Thorn by Rati Mehrotra

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A magical flower hunter must retrieve a powerful flower stolen by an attractive imposter. I loved Mehrotra’s debut, so I couldn’t miss this one.

Published: October 17, 2023

The Search for Us by Susan Azim Boyer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two half-siblings who have never met embark on a search together for the Iranian immigrant and U.S. Army veteran father they never knew. I love a complex family drama, so this one looks great.

Published: October 24, 2023

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibañez

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: 19th century Buenas Aires. A girl with a magic ring journeys to Cairo to solve the mystery of her parents’ deaths.

Published: October 31, 2023

With or Without You by Eric Smith

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Two Philly families with a faux food truck rivalry (and secret romance) take their act to TV, where the stakes are higher, and their feelings could cost their dreams. I remember when the author started talking about this one on Twitter, and I’ve been desperate to read it since.

Published: November 7, 2023

No One Left But You by Tash McAdam

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A newly out trans boy gets caught up in the world of a glamorous It-girl until that world crashes down in a murder she may have committed. This one is giving me WE MADE IT ALL UP by Margot Harrison vibes, and I love it.

Published: November 7, 2023

Wish of the Wicked by Danielle Page

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A dark, fairy godmother origin story for fans of MALEFICENT. Yes, please!

Published: November 7, 2023

Artifacts of an Ex by Jennifer Chen

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A teen grieving a recent breakup turns the items left behind after a relationship into an art exhibit and tries to convince her new crush she’s ready to try again for love. Looks sweet and like it’s got some great opportunities for humor and heart.

Published: November 14, 2023

The Dark Heir by C. S. Pacat

What you need to know: In a war of Light versus Dark, Will faces terrible secrets that threaten to break their world. I haven’t read the first book in this series yet, but both look so good, I’m going to try to play a little catchup and read them this fall.

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

Published: November 14, 2023

What are your most-anticipated young adult books coming out this fall?

What amazing young adult books coming in fall 2023 are you most looking forward to reading? Are you planning to read any of the books on my list? What books am I missing that I need to add?